The Gujarat government has said that an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh was being provided to the families of four out of the ten doctors, who had succumbed to the coronavirus last year.
However, according to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), around 59 doctors in Gujarat lost their lives due to the coronavirus while on duty between January last year till first week of February.
Replying to a question put up by the Congress legislator, Vajesing Panada from Dahod, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel who also holds the health portfolio, informed the House that the global pandemic had claimed lives of 10 doctors while in the line of duty.
Patel informed that according to the provisions an aid of Rs 50 lakh each was provided to four doctors while for the remaining six doctors, the proposals for the compensation has been pending with the Centre whereas two doctors had not served in the line of duty as per the PradhanMantri Garib Kalyan scheme and so their proposals had not provided insurance to them.
However, disagreeing with this IMA, Gujarat chapter deferred. “Around 59 doctors have succumbed to the Covid. Of course, not all of them were serving with the public healthcare set ups, but as far as the deaths are concerned we have lost 59 valuable lives,” said Devendra Patel, President of the IMA Gujarat chapter.
“Time and again, we have put the proposals regarding this to the state as well as the central government but always we have had the same reply that your proposals are forwarded to the concerned departments,” said Chandresh Jardosh, former president of IMA Gujarat.